National Honor Society students at Windsor High School put on annual blood drive

T.M. FASANO/tfasano@mywindsornow.com
Windsor High School social sciences teacher Phil Weiser, right, donates blood Thursday afternoon during the annual blood drive put on by the National Honor Society. Also in the photo is Candice Bucy of the North Colorado Medical Center Blood Donor Center.

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WINDSOR — Marcia Laslo donated blood for the first time last year at Windsor High School’s annual blood drive sponsored by the National Honor Society and she hasn’t stopped since.

Laslo said she’ll be a lifetime donor.

After her initial donation, Laslo, 18, a senior at Windsor and NHS member, donated blood every two months at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.

“It just makes me feel like I’m really saving lives and helping people,” said Laslo, who plans to study nursing at Western Carolina University in the fall. “I know that we need people to give blood. I think it’s huge because we’re the healthiest that we’re ever going to be right now. It’s important that every teenager donates.”

Laslo and her classmates, as well as staff members, took their turns donating blood during the seventh annual blood drive in the NCMC Bloodmobile in front of the high school Thursday afternoon.

Renee Hanks, 18, a junior at WHS, said she donated for the first time because she felt like it would go to a good cause.

“There are so many people out there who are less fortunate than I am,” Hanks said. “I feel like if I can help out in any way, that I’m going to take advantage of that. I think it’s very cool. My last school (Valley High School in Gilcrest) didn’t offer this.”

NHS adviser Doris Rummel, a chemistry and earth space science teacher at WHS, said 56 people were on the donor list Thursday, and NHS members helped out throughout the drive. The idea of a blood drive started when NHS member Rachel Juelsgaard came up with the idea in 2006.

Rummel said 36 units of blood were added to the blood bank.

“Part of the goal of having them donate young is so they can become donors and not worry about what it’s like,” Rummel said.

Travis Hart, 18, a senior, said it was the first time he donated at the NHS blood drive, but the second time overall.

Phil Weiser, a social sciences teacher at WHS, said it’s a great project that the NHS does every year.

“The kids get really excited about doing it. They had breakfast burritos for the kids who were donating,” Weiser said.

Candice Bucy, a phlebotomist for the NCMC Blood Donor Center in Greeley, said WHS is the neatest high school assignment she has.

“They prepare their donors. They always give them breakfast before they come out to make sure they’re hydrated,” Bucy said. “The staff does a really good job of preparing students, and the students are very enthusiastic about coming out and donating. There’s always going to be a need for it, and it’s neat that they realize this at a young age because it develops a good habit of giving blood and saving lives.”